with him; and so they two returned again in the dawning of the day. King
Arthur came then to King Rience, and said, Sir king, ye are welcome: by
what adventure come ye hither? Sir, said King Rience, I came hither by
an hard adventure. Who won you? said King Arthur. Sir, said the king,
the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother, which are two marvellous
knights of prowess. I know them not, said Arthur, but much I am beholden
to them. Ah, said Merlin, I shall tell you: it is Balin that achieved
the sword, and his brother Balan, a good knight, there liveth not a
better of prowess and of worthiness, and it shall be the greatest dole
of him that ever I knew of knight, for he shall not long endure. Alas,
said King Arthur, that is great pity; for I am much beholden unto him,
and I have ill deserved it unto him for his kindness. Nay, said Merlin,
he shall do much more for you, and that shall ye know in haste. But,
sir, are ye purveyed, said Merlin, for to-morn the host of Nero,
King Rience's brother, will set on you or noon with a great host, and
therefore make you ready, for I will depart from you.

CHAPTER X. How King Arthur had a battle against Nero and King Lot of
Orkney, and how King Lot was deceived by Merlin, and how twelve kings
were slain.

THEN King Arthur made ready his host in ten battles and Nero was ready
in the field afore the Castle Terrabil with a great host, and he had
ten battles, with many more people than Arthur had. Then Nero had the
vanguard with the most part of his people, and Merlin came to King Lot
of the Isle of Orkney, and held him with a tale of prophecy, till Nero
and his people were destroyed. And there Sir Kay the seneschal did
passingly well, that the days of his life the worship went never from
him; and Sir Hervis de Revel did marvellous deeds with King Arthur, and
King Arthur slew that day twenty knights and maimed forty. At that time
came in the Knight with the Two Swords and his brother Balan, but they
two did so marvellously that the king and all the knights marvelled of
them, and all they that beheld them said they were sent from heaven as
angels, or devils from hell; and King Arthur said himself they were the
best knights that ever he saw, for they gave such strokes that all men
had wonder of them.

In the meanwhile came one to King Lot, and told him while he tarried
there Nero was destroyed and slain with all his people. Alas, said King
Lot, I am ashamed, for by my default t